Switch terminal



Patented Mar. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i N MONROE GUETT, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, `:BY MESNE ASSIGrNlVIEN'JS,l

TO THE ARROW-HART & HEGEMAN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECT- ICUT, A CORPORATION F CONNECTICUT SWITCH frintivrrivar,``

Application mea March 5, i525. serial Nfq. 13,416.

One object of this invention is to construct a snap switch terminal, in which the contact plates have the desired resiliency with a comparatively limited extension lbeyond the post.

A further objectof the invention is to provide a simple and effective means for asf sembling and holding the plates on the post.

A still further object of the invention 1s to provide means for clamping a wire to the i0 post.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a snap switch showing my improved switch terminals in position, the section being on the line le 1 1, Fig. 2; Y

Fig. 2 is a plan view with the casing in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the switch terminals on the line 3-3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on thefline 4.-4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view on the line 5 5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the switch terminals;

Fig. 7 is a detachedV perspective view of one of the contact plates; and

Fig. 8 is a View illustrating a modica- P 3o tion of the invention.

The base 1 is preferably made of porcelain, or other non-conducting material. The snap switch mechanism 2 can be of any suitable construction so that the blades 3 snap as they pass from one terminal to the other, when the handle 4 is turned.

In the present instance there are four switch terminals, and each one consists of a post 5, on which are mounted the spring contact plates 6 that are made as illustrated in Fig. 7 Each post 6 is secured to the base 1 by screws 7, or other suitable fastenings, Fig. 8, and is made tubular for the passage of the Vconducting wire a, which is held to the post by a hollow, `tapered screw plug 8 that is threaded to engage the internal threads of the post. The posts are preferably threaded beyond the threaded portion as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, so that the tapered plugs readu ily enter the reduced openings in the posts.

Each' plugY is split longitudinally to form jaws, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, so that,

when a plug is screwed into a post, the jaws are contracted upon the `wire a, whereby the wire is held rigidly `to the post, which makes a good velectric contact. Y

Each post 5 has two or more annular grooves 9, in which are located the laterally extended ends 10 of the contact plates. contact plate is bent at 11, as shown in Fig.

7, to providea long spring element, which Each Y extends back of the center line of the post;

The end Aportions 10 of the plates areparallel with the body lof the contact plate, but `are separated therefrom to allow the plate to have the desired flexibility. The .platesrare forked and curved to llit the posts and are turned up at eachedge, as at12, to allow the switch blades to pass readily into the space i between the plates. y

v Each extended end 10 of aV contact plate is notched at 13, and eachp'ost is slotted, asat 14. 'The notches of the plates are brought into yalignment with the slots, and rods lare driven into the slots, lockingV the `:contact plates in proper position on a post.

Thisconstruction makes an effective, yet simple means for attaching the plates to the osts. f

In Fig. 1, both contact Vplates are yspring plates. In some instances, one plate may be a spring plate and the other may be a rigid plate, which is secured to a post, as in Fig. 8, which illustrates a modification in which three plates are mounted on the post 5a.

The upper and lower plates 6a are spring plates, which are made in the manner shown in Fig. 7. The intermediate plate is a flat, rigid plate, which has notched, extended ends that fit a groove in the post and are secured to the post by the rod 15a. 'i

I claim:

1. The combination in a switch terminal, of a Vpost having a groove therein; two contact plates, one of said plates being forked to span the post, the forked ends being bent upon themselves to form a long spring member and two short spring members eX'-v tending back of the centre line of the post to provide an extended spring contact plate,

the short members of the plate having lateral extensionslocated in the groove in the post; and means for retaining the said short members to the post.

2. The combination in a switch terminal, of a post having a groove therein Vand having slots intersecting the groove; two contact plates, one of said plates having lportions atV each side of the post bent to Vorm long and short spring members, the short side members of the plateY i being notched and extending into the groove; and rods located in the slots of the post and extending through the'notches in the plate, Vretaining the plate in position.

f 3. The combination Vin a switch terminal, of apost having tWo annular grooves therein andr having a vertical slot intersecting the grooves; tivo spring Contact plates shaped to span the post, the side portions oi each spring plate being bent upon themselves to` form long and short spring members, and short portions having lateral extensions located in l Vthe grooves of the post, one extension of in the slot of the post and extending through each plate being notched; and a rod located the notches in the plates. LA terminal plate for an electric switch, said plate being made of spring metal and forked Yto span a post, the 'ends of the forked i portionsof the plate'being bent over' the body'ofthe plate to Vform short attaching members and an extended spring member, the

. short members having lateral extensions ar- ,rangedl to engage a post.

5; A terminal plate for an electric switch, said plate being made'fof spring metal and forked to span Va post, the ends of the forks being bentover the bodyof the-plateA to form attaching members on a different plane from the'body of the plate.l Y f MONROE'GUETT. 

